Which statement about sterilization is true?

• A. It uses only heat
• B. It uses either liquid chemical sterilants or moist/dry heat
• C. It is the same as cleaning
• D. It is rarely used in salons

Answer: (B)

Sterilization is the highest level of decontamination, aiming to destroy all microorganisms, including spores. Because of that, it can be achieved by different methods: moist heat (steam under pressure), dry heat, or chemical sterilants. That’s why the statement that sterilization uses either liquid chemical sterilants or moist/dry heat is true—it covers the main ways to reach sterilization. It’s not the same as cleaning, which only removes dirt and some organisms, and sterilization is used in salons for implements that must be free of all microbes, not something that’s rarely used.